Blessing from Joseph
Smith Sr., 9 December 1834

His feet
shall stand upon the neck of his enemies, and he shall walk upon the ashes of
those who seek his destruction: with wine and oil shall he be sustained, and he shall feed upon the
heritage of Jacob his father: the just shall desire his society, and the
upright in heart shall be his companions: No weapon formed against him
shall prosper, and though the wicked mar him for a little season, he shall
be like one rising up in the heat of wine— he shall roar in his strength,
and the Lord shall put to flight his persecutors: he shall be blessed like the fruitful olive,
and his memory shall be as sweet as the choice cluster of the first ripe
grapes. Like a shief sheaf fully ripe, gathered into the garner, so shall
he stand before the Lord, having produced a hundred fold. Thus spake my
father Joseph. Therefore, my son, I know for a surety that these things
will be fulfilled, and I confirm upon thee all these blessings. Thou shalt live
to do the work which the Lord shall command
thee: thou shalt hold the
keys

Authority or knowledge of God given to humankind. In the earliest records, the term keys primarily referred to JS’s authority to unlock the “mysteries of the kingdom.” Early revelations declared that both JS and Oliver Cowdery held the keys to bring forth...

An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

, both in time and in eternity. Thy
heart shall be enlarged, and thou shalt be able to fill up the measure of
thy days according to the will of the Lord. Thou shalt speak the word of
the Lord and the earth shall tremble; the mountains shall move and the
rivers shall turn out of their course. Thou shalt escape the edge of the
sword, and put to flight the armies of the wicked. At thy word the lame
shall walk, the deaf shall hear and the blind shall see. Thou shalt be
gathered to Zion

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

Generally referred to land promised by or received from God for the church and its members. A January 1831 revelation promised church members a land of inheritance. In March and May 1831, JS dictated revelations commanding members “to purchase lands for an...

; thy children and thy children’s
children to the latest generation; for thy name and the names of thy
posterity shall be recorded in the book of the Lord, even in the book of
blessings and
genealogies, for their joy and benefit forever. And now, my son, what more
shall I say? Thou art as a fruitful olive and a choice vine: thou shalt be
laden with precious fruit. Thousands and tens of thousands shall come to a
knowledge of the truth through thy ministry, and thou shalt rejoice with
them in the
Celestial Kingdom

Highest kingdom of glory in the afterlife; symbolically represented by the sun. According to a vision dated 16 February 1832, inheritors of the celestial kingdom “are they who received the testimony of Jesus, & believed on his name, & were baptized,” “receive...

: Thou shalt stand upon the
earth when it shall reel to and fro as a drunken man, and be removed out
of its place: thou shalt stand when the mighty judgments go forth to the
destruction of the wicked: thou shalt stand on mount Zion when the tribes
of Jacob come shouting from the north, and with thy brethren, the sons of
Ephraim, crown them in the name of Jesus Christ: Thou shalt see thy Redeemer
Come in the clouds of heaven, and with the just receive the hallowed
throng with shouts of hallalujahs, praise the Lord. Amen

Located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Area settled, by 1787. Organized 1809. Population in 1830 about 340. Population in 1840 about 520. Contained Harmony village (no longer in existence). Josiah Stowell hired JS to help look for treasure in area, Oct. 1825...

,
my daughter-in-law, thou art blessed of the Lord, for thy faithfulness and
truth: thou shalt be blessed with thy husband, and rejoice in
the glory which shall come upon him: Thy soul has been afflicted because
of the wickedness of men in seeking the destruction of thy companion, and
thy whole soul has been drawn out in prayer for his deliverance: rejoice,
for the Lord thy God has heard thy suplication. Thou hast grieved for the
hardness of the hearts of thy father

21 Mar. 1763–11 Jan. 1839. Farmer, hunter, innkeeper. Born in Waterbury, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Reuben Hale and Diantha Ward. Member of Methodist church. Moved to Wells, Albany Co., New York (later in Rutland Co., Vermont), ca. 1771, to live with...

’s
house, and thou hast longed for their salvation. The Lord will have
respect to thy cries, and by his judgments he will cause some of them to see
their folly and repent of their sins; but it will be by affliction that
they will be saved. Thou shall see many days; yea, the Lord will spare
thee till thou art satisfied, for thou shalt see thy Redeemer. Thy heart
shall rejoice in the great work of the Lord, and no one shall take thy
rejoicing from thee. Thou shalt ever remember the great condescension of
thy God in permitting thee to accompany my son when the angel delivered
the record of the Nephites to his care. Thou hast seen much sorrow because the
Lord has taken from thee three of thy children: in this thou are not to be
blamed, for he knows thy pure desires to raise up a family, that the name
of my son might be blessed. And now, behold, I say unto thee, that thus
says the Lord, if thou wilt believe, thou shalt yet be blessed in this
thing and thou shalt bring forth other children, to
the joy and satisfaction
[p. 4]

His feet
shall stand upon the neck of his enemies, and he shall walk upon the ashes of
those who seek his destruction: with wine and oil it shall he be sustained, and he shall feed upon the
heritage of Jacob his father: the just shall desire his society, and the
upright in heart shall be his companions: No weapon formed against him
shall prosper, and though the wicked mar him for a little season, he shall
be like one rising up in the heat of wine— he shall roar in his strength,
and the Lord shall put to flight his persecutors: his he shall be blessed like the fruitful olive,
and his memory shall be as sweet as the choice cluster of the first ripe
grapes. Like <a> shief [sheaf] fully ripe, gathered into the garner, so shall
he stand before the Lord, having produced a hundred fold. Thus spake my
father Joseph. Therefore, my son, I know for a surety that these things
will be fulfilled, and I confirm upon thee all these blessings. Thou shalt live
<to> do the work which the Lord shall command
thee: thou shalt hold the
keys

Authority or knowledge of God given to humankind. In the earliest records, the term keys primarily referred to JS’s authority to unlock the “mysteries of the kingdom.” Early revelations declared that both JS and Oliver Cowdery held the keys to bring forth...

An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

, both in time and in eternity. Thy
heart shall be enlarged, and thou shalt be able to fill up the measure of
thy days according to the will of the Lord. Thou shalt speak the word of
the Lord and the earth shall tremble; the mountains shall move and the
rivers shall turn out of their course. Thou shalt escape the edge of the
sword, and put to flight the armies of the wicked. At thy word the lame
shall walk, the deaf shall hear and the blind shall see. Thou shalt be
gathered to Zion

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

Generally referred to land promised by or received from God for the church and its members. A January 1831 revelation promised church members a land of inheritance. In March and May 1831, JS dictated revelations commanding members “to purchase lands for an...

; thy children and thy children’s
children to the latest generation; for thy name and the names of thy
posterity shall be recorded in the book of the Lord, even in the book of
blessings an <and>
genealogies, for their joy and benefit forever. And now, my son, what more
shall I say? Thou art as a fruitful olive and a choice vine: thou shalt be
laden with precious fruit. Thousands and tens of thousands shall come to a
knowledge of the truth through thy ministry, and thou shalt rejoice with
them in the
Celestial Kingdom

Highest kingdom of glory in the afterlife; symbolically represented by the sun. According to a vision dated 16 February 1832, inheritors of the celestial kingdom “are they who received the testimony of Jesus, & believed on his name, & were baptized,” “receive...

: Thou shalt stand upon the
earth when it shall reel to and fro as a drunken man, and be removed out
of its place: thou shalt stand when the mighty judgments go forth to the
destruction of the wicked: thou shalt stand on mount Zion when the tribes
of Jacob come shouting from the north, and with thy brethren, the sons of
Ephraim, crown them in the name of Jesus Christ: Thou shalt see thy Redeemer
Come in the clouds of heaven, and with the just receive the hallowed
throng with shouts of hallalujahs, praise the Lord. Amen

Located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Area settled, by 1787. Organized 1809. Population in 1830 about 340. Population in 1840 about 520. Contained Harmony village (no longer in existence). Josiah Stowell hired JS to help look for treasure in area, Oct. 1825...

,
my daughter-in-law, thou art blessed of the Lord, for thy faithfulness and
truth: thou shalt be blessed with thy husband, and rejoice in
the glory which shall come upon him: Thy soul has been afflicted because
of the wickedness of men in seeking the destruction of thy companion, and
thy whole soul has been drawn out in prayer for his deliverance: rejoice,
for the Lord thy God has heard thy suplication. Thou hast grieved for the
hardness of the hearts of thy father

21 Mar. 1763–11 Jan. 1839. Farmer, hunter, innkeeper. Born in Waterbury, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Reuben Hale and Diantha Ward. Member of Methodist church. Moved to Wells, Albany Co., New York (later in Rutland Co., Vermont), ca. 1771, to live with...

’s
house, and thou hast longed for their salvation. The Lord will have
respect to thy cries, and by his judgments he will cause some of them to see
their folly and repent of their sins; but it will be by affliction that
they will be saved. Thou shall see many days; yea, the Lord will spare
thee till thou art satisfied, for thou shalt see thy Redeemer. Thy heart
shall rejoice in the great work of the Lord, and no one shall take thy
rejoicing from thee. Thou shalt ever remember the great condescension of
thy God in permitting thee to accompany my son when the angel delivered
the record of the Nephites to his care. Thou hast seen much sorrow because the
Lord has taken from thee three of thy children: in this thou are not to be
blamed, for he knows thy pure desires to raise up a family, that the name
of my son might be blessed. And now, behold, I say unto thee, that thus
says the Lord, if thou wilt believe, thou shalt yet be blessed in this
thing <and> thou shalt bring forth other children, to
the joy and satisfaction
[p. 4]

12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...